"What happened?" Nymeria asked, watching Arthur frantically packing his gear. "What about your response to Arianne?"
"I don't have time to play the game of heirs with Arianne." Arthur finished packing and swiftly changed into a purple riding outfit. "If the contents of this letter are true... there's another war to be fought."
The letter from Beaconwatch stated that a large band of pirates had attacked the Peach Garden Manor under the cover of darkness. They had slaughtered the guards, torched most of the orchards, and destroyed the winery.
Pate "the Ledger," whom Arthur had appointed as the Acting Castellan of Beaconwatch, had died in the attack.
Hearing the word "war," Nymeria realized the gravity of the situation. She said no more, quietly packing her own bags and changing into her riding leathers.
The wine produced by the Peach Garden Manor was a crucial source of income for Arthur. While its destruction was infuriating, what truly broke Arthur's heart was the news of Pate's death.
Arthur recalled the first time he met Pate—back on the Storm, when he was being bullied by Cauliflower Ear.
Since then, from Braavos to Starfall, Pate had been by his side, managing his accounts and finances. He had handled every detail, big or small, with meticulous care and unwavering loyalty.
Upon arriving at Starfall, Pate had first overseen the initial construction in the desolate Violet Gorge.
Later, Arthur had sent him to Beaconwatch to build and manage the Peach Garden Manor. It was Pate who had taken the peach wine and refined it into the lucrative Amber Peach Nectar.
Aside from using the [Peach Garden Oath] card at the very beginning, Arthur had barely needed to lift a finger for the development of Beaconwatch and the orchards—Pate had handled everything.
From start to finish, Arthur had never heard Pate complain. He only remembered him with his head down, quill scratching furiously across parchment.
"Arthur." Nymeria's voice pulled him back to reality. She was already dressed in her gold-and-red riding gear. "I'm coming with you."
Arthur nodded, saying nothing. Together, they strode out of the room.
On the road to Beaconwatch, during a brief rest, Nymeria asked, "Does the letter say who did it?"
"It didn't say." Even while riding, Arthur's hand never left the hilt of Frost.
[Frost]: The blade is cold to the touch; wielding it keeps the mind calm and clear.
The cool chill radiating from the hilt kept Arthur's mind sharp, preventing rage from clouding his judgment.
Having composed himself, Arthur spoke in a calm, flat tone.
"I suspect it was House Redwyne of the Arbor. Paxter Redwyne has long coveted the Amber Peach Nectar, seeking to control the distribution of the orchard's output."
He exhaled a long breath, as if trying to expel the heavy feeling in his chest.
"After I refused to cooperate with Paxter, I expected them to make a move. But I never imagined they would hire pirates... or disguise themselves as pirates to launch such a base and ruthless attack."
In his past life, Arthur had read a joke:
Fake corporate warfare: Elegant, thrilling, meticulous planning.
Real corporate warfare: Simple, direct, physical destruction.
At first, Arthur thought it was just a joke. He hadn't expected it to be so painfully real.
Nymeria sneered. "That is the hypocrisy of the Reach. They boast that the Reach is the cradle of chivalry.
"In truth, they were just lucky enough to occupy fertile lands. Most of them never had to fight the scorching sun and sand for a living, or scavenge for food in the freezing snow.
"When you don't have to worry about food or drink every day, of course you can prattle on about chivalry."
By the time the setting sun of the fifth day dyed the high walls of Beaconwatch blood-red, Arthur and his party finally arrived.
The audience hall of the main keep was packed with people. The atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.
Arthur strode through the crowd, which parted automatically for him. When he took the lord's seat on the dais, the hall fell silent. Everyone looked at him with grave expressions.
"What exactly happened? Give me the details." Arthur's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to every ear.
After a moment of silence, the old Master-at-Arms stepped forward first. He described the events from his perspective.
The old knight had been retired, living out his days at Meteor Keep, his ancestral home.
Meteor Keep lay north of Beaconwatch, its lands contiguous with the Beaconwatch estate.
When his servants woke him in the night, he had seen the flames from the tower, lighting up the sky in the direction of the orchards. He immediately rallied the few remaining soldiers and servants in the castle to help fight the fire.
Aside from the people rushing from Beaconwatch itself, the old Master-at-Arms had been the second group to arrive on the scene.
"With the war going on, Meteor Keep answered the call and sent most of its soldiers away. They haven't returned yet." The old knight's left arm was in a sling. "I assume the situation at Beaconwatch was similar."
"When I arrived with what few guards and servants I had, I saw figures in the darkness wearing identical uniforms, setting fires everywhere."
His voice began to tremble. "Those animals... they didn't even spare the orphanage and cottages built for the refugees outside the orchard. They killed anyone they saw and burned every house they found!
"I am certain these were not Ironborn, nor were they typical pirates from the Free Cities or Stepstones. They didn't care about loot or captives. They only wanted to burn, kill, and destroy!"
The old knight hesitated. "I suspect the identity of these pirates..."
"The Arbor. Paxter Redwyne," Arthur said expressionlessly.
There were no gasps, no commotion. The answer had been fermenting in everyone's mind for some time.
Arthur turned to Maester Hubert of Beaconwatch.
"Are there any survivors from the people who went to fight the fire, or those near the orchard?"
"Pate's squire, Jerry," Maester Hubert replied. "A few children from the orphanage, and some farmers and workers who managed to escape."
Arthur nodded. "Bring Jerry to me."
Arthur remembered Jerry vaguely. Pate had kept the boy by his side, mentoring him personally. Edric Dayne and Jerry seemed to be friends as well.
"The bodies of those who died in the attack... have they been properly buried?"
"The Silent Sisters have collected the bodies. All have been laid to rest," Maester Hubert answered. "Since the levies returned, we have begun clearing the ruins. A small mercy in the midst of tragedy is that the peach trees were not completely destroyed. I..."
Arthur raised a hand to stop him. "Restoring it now is pointless if they just come back and burn it again. Destruction is far easier than construction.
"Put aside the clearing and rebuilding for now. That can wait until after we settle the score with the Redwynes."
"Arthur, you intend to go to war with House Redwyne?" the old Master-at-Arms asked, catching Arthur's drift. He warned, "Starfall's naval strength is pitifully weak compared to the Redwyne Fleet. Our soldiers cannot cross the sea to the Arbor without ships."
"That is obvious, but this war must be fought," Arthur said firmly.
"Since we cannot attack right now, we will prepare our defenses first."
Arthur then led a discussion on the immediate defense and surveillance of the Starfall coastline to prevent another attack from the sea.
In the end, Arthur synthesized the proposals into a plan. Ser Bard would be responsible for levying troops from the coastal vassals to establish a coast guard force that would patrol the shoreline regularly.
Additionally, lighthouses would be built in coastal castles, and beacon towers would be established every five miles to serve as an early warning system to relay alerts rapidly.